Rhode Island Army National Guard

MISSION:"Command, Control and Coordinate the Combat, Combat Support, and Combat Service Support Operations of All Military Police Elements Assigned or Attached to the Brigade"

The Headquarters of the 43rd Military Police Brigade, Rhode Island Army National Guard, is located in the Warwick Armory, Airport Road, Warwick, Rhode Island. Within the Rhode Island Army National Guard, the 43rd Military Police Brigade exercises command and control over the 118th Military Police Battalion, and its three (3) separate Military Police companies. In addition, the Brigade has a Medium Truck Company attached.

UNIT HISTORY:The 43rd Military Police Brigade was constituted 4 March 1959 and allotted to the Rhode Island Army National Guard as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 103d Replacement Battalion. Organized and Federally recognized 1 April 1959 at Providence. Converted and redesignated 18 March 1963 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43d Engineer Group. Converted and redesignated 1 May 1968 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 43d Military Police Brigade. Reorganized and redesignated 1 May 1976 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43d Military Police Brigade.

One of the next major state activation's came in 1978. The "Blizzard of '78" crippled the state and forced all units to be called to duty from 6-16 February 1978. The 43rd organized traffic control to allow engineers to perform snow removal. MP's were stationed thoughout the dowtown area to prevent looting. There had not been a statewide callup since the "Hurricane of '38", thirthy-nine years earlier.

Soldiers from the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43rd Military Police Brigade, mobilized in April 2002, then deployed from Fort Dix, New Jersey, in May 2002 to the US Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There they replaced the 89th Military Police Brigade as the new headquarters element for Joint Task Force - 160 (JTF-160). In early 2002, the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) established JTF-160 and JTF-170 to operate a detention and interrogation facility at the naval base. In November of the same year, the two task forces consolidated to become Joint Task Force - Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO). During this period, US military personnel from all five services planned and executed a mission to safely and humanely detain suspected terrorists. Soldiers redeployed in November/December 2002 and demobilized in January 2003. On 28 January 2003, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) to Headquarters, JTF-160, for exceptionally meritorious achievement during the period 4 January to 31 October 2002.

Soldiers from the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43rd Military Police Brigade, mobilized in August 2005, deploying to Iraq.The mission was to provide Command and Control (C2) for all Theater Internment Facilities (TIF) in support of Task Force 134 and Multi-National Force - Iraq. Additionally, the brigade managed the training and integration of Iraqi Corrections Officers and initiated the transfer of authority for all TIF's to the government of Iraq in support of UNSCR 1546. While deployed, the brigade commanded five MP battalions, twenty-three companies, two brigade liason detachments, and two coalition forces detachments totaling approximately 5,000 assigned soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coalition forces at five seperate detention facilities throughout the country. The 43rd oversaw the closure of the Abu Ghraib TIF in July 2006, built a new detention facility, and expanded and existing facility making it the largest detention facility in the world. The 43rd MP Bde was also responsible for the development of the Iraqi Corrections Officer Academy, which trained over 1600 Iraqi Correction Officers.

UNIT CREST:The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 23 May 1972, consisting of a gold anchor vertically bisecting a horizontal white enamel wavy band on a green background all encircled by a continuous gold scroll, divided in four folds the upper three inscribed "PROTECT THE RIGHT" in green letters, Green and yellow are the colors used by the Military Police. The gold anchor adapted from the Rhode Island State Flag, and the wavy band, simulating the water of Narragansett Bay, allude to the home area of the organization.

SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA:The shoulder sleeve insignia was approved on 16 May 1969, consisting of a green shield with a yellow wall of two crenelles above three green wavy bars, issuing from base and surmounted overall a white pike all within a yellow border. The fortification above the wavy bars alludes to the wall surrounding the 15th century city of Rhodes, capital of the Island of Rhodes in the eastern Mediterranean after which Rhode Island was named. The wavy bars also represent Narragansett Bay and the many waterways of the state. The pike, any early weapon used by guards symbolizes the 43d Military Police Brigade's ability to give protection and strong support.